Vidit Gujrathi vs Hikaru Nakamura | FIDE Candidates 2024 | Round 9

[@PowerPlayChess]

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[@1blueeye]

Hello Mr. King! I've enjoyed more than one hearty chuckle at your distaste for those little pawn moves and the ultimate destination of their proponents! I'm reminded that you've been keeping myself and many others thoroughly entertained for over decade here on KZbin - I wanted to thank you again for being such a great person and the paragon of what an ambassador for chess should be. All the best from across the pond!

[@PowerPlayChess]

Thank you!

[@jodymccullough5891]

Indeed, when g5 goes wrong it often goes really badly wrong. Seems like Naka pressing too hard against an opponent he thought might be spinning a little bit. I think there might be some psychology here too where Vidit manages his time better against Naka because he knows how dangerous he can be with a time advantage. In any case, well deserved win by Vidit.

[@aitchtea]

thank you again for the analysis and generous sharing. you continue to instruct and entertain me every day of this tournament.

[@MrJoda1996]

Vincent Keymer gave an I think interesting account about why Nakamura did struggle against Vidit on the german stream: "I find Vidit is a player who is incredibly strong when he is in his comfort zone [...]. As we saw yesterday against Gukesh he exited it and also played a for his measures very bad game. And Hikaru is a player that also with black [...] does not get forced to leave what he knows or likes, because he would have to be scared of something, but he can solidly play his stuff and just play a game. Hikaru is usually the one, who has to find something, deviate somewhere. And this allows that firstly Vidit gets his position and Hikaru doesn't really challenge him [in a theoretical sense] but deviates somewhere else voluntarily and this is something which suits Vidit really well." He then went on for about two minutes comparing this to Vidit's game against Gukesh from the day before, relating it to the tournament circumstances and why a very solid approach with the black pieces seems to work well there this time around. Here is the video at said moment for those who speak german: kzbin.infoHxYCOOZQ5cI?feature=shared&t=14041

[@med017784]

Well he IS meaking money all over Internet fast games, which many others refuse to do. He IS now one of the the dozen that can live just of Chess ... Mind Hou Yifan that quit being clearly the strongest one in Woman Chess. IS a hard world (well relatively, compare i.e. with Sudan or Gaza childhood) ... Or not

[@mcronrn]

Thanks, interesting…

[@MrJoda1996]

@@med017784 Thank You, but how does this relate to my comment? This was not meant as mocking of Hikaru, the same way Vincent's elaborations were not meant to talk down Hikaru as a player - which he explicitly stated in the video.

[@davidblue819]

This game made me aware of how good Danny King's commentary really is. In such a tense game there are many things to think about but we are having our attention to issues that are simple enough to understand yet important enough to have a potentially decisive impact on the result of the game.

[@robinesperoza]

Thank you so much for these videos. I watch them as soon as I wake up to know what I've missed. 😀

[@China-Voice]

at 0:05 it is after 8 rounds……not 5

[@PowerPlayChess]

It was late!

[@danjeory3659]

I don't mind saying I punched the air a little bit when Qb2 was played. So many players in blitz blast out aggressive kingside pawn moves in the opening. Just a delight to see it being punished so clinically. Bravo Vidit!

[@RangeWilson]

Re ...g5, as Nakamura said in his video on the game, "The computers have shown that pretty much anything is playable in the Italian." But "playable" does not necessarily mean that it's a great idea.

[@Zakdayak]

The problem is it's difficult playing for a win after White's d3. There are also too many annoying move order and subtle variation issues. And White always seems to retain a lasting initiative by playing a4 & h3.

[@PowerPlayChess]

Nakamura knew very well he was risking more with this strategy of advancing the pawns. There is a difference between human chess and computer chess.

[@joseraulcapablanca8564]

Naka really went for it, though g5 made me think of what you said the other day irresponsible. Thanks Daniel.

[@lenz6293]

A drama for Nakamura that could become a trauma when playing against Vidith. Great game of the Indian, calmly waiting for the right moment to advance in the centre. And Naka didn't find possibilities on the wings, as the centre wasn't stabilized. And (this time) it proved Daniel's constant warnings from these little pawn moves for which there is a special place in hell. Thanks Mr.King. Love your way of leading us through the games.

[@PowerPlayChess]

Karma.

[@Anna-dg9kp]

thank you! early h6/g5 got punished in the end, justice has been done😀

[@davids2448]

Is it just me or do others think that there is a correlation between the strength of grandmasters and the number of syllables in their names? ;)

[@PowerPlayChess]

Tal.

[@konjecture]

Just you.

[@Appleleafy]

Hi, I think Ive read one of your books lol

[@PowerPlayChess]

Only one??

[@andrewhaldenby4949]

Lovely stuff DK ty

[@rajusubramanian9174]

It's not after 5 rounds ?

[@RameshBas2014]

Good analysis

[@ohorok2]

How cam GM play g5??? It breaks elementary rules of king's safety.

[@robinesperoza]

Either the top players don't know what they are doing, or there is more to it. Watson wrote a great book of the evolution on how we think about chess. In general modern chess (compared to 1900s) is much more concrete then it used to be. Rules are discarded all the time if something "works". I'd argue in this line that black kingside is weakened by h6 and g5 but due to black space advantage on that side of te boad white is not dominating there. The black king is only weak theoretically. White has no active plans against it. This is also what we saw in the game. It took a long time before the weaknesses mattered.

[@DG-ss2zd]

Thanks for the coverage, you must have been up late!

[@ladislaocapule4834]

Where do you access the games of the candidates?

[@PowerPlayChess]

Many places, but I recommend the live broadcasts on chess.com

[@henningfraas3500]

Ich habe nicht verstanden, welchen Fehler Nakamura gemacht hat, bzw. was er statt Se5: hätte spielen sollen .

[@lenz6293]

Stockfish gibt 35. ,Tcd8 mit nur + 0.39 für Weiß an . Nach 35. ,Sxe5 hat Weiß +1.91.

[@henningfraas3500]

Danke, hätte eventuell erwähnt werden können.

[@mcronrn]

Thank you.

[@michaelblankenau6598]

4.5 - 9.5 is not the worst score in the world against this stellar competition… assuming that’s what his final score will be .

[@michaelmcguigan8771]

No Svetlana today? Thanks for the analysis.

[@PowerPlayChess]

All good things come to those that wait.

[@kaynthomas7357]

Nice video

[@the117man]

Nepo is strong in round-robin format, but turns to butter in heads-up series. Looks like Ding will remain King for another couple of years

[@HunterBelkiran]

Ding has been looking incredibly demoralized and shaky.. I doubt he will hold up very well, and wouldn't be completely surprised if he bowed out of defending the title due to mental health.

[@the117man]

@@HunterBelkiran The CCP would not allow Ding to resign. If what you say is true, right now the CCP is spending unlimited stashes of $$ to keep Ding as "happy" and "prepped-up" as he can possible be. Individual whims and desires mean nothing to the CCP, only victories, awards, and accolades for their collective.

[@HunterBelkiran]

@@the117man You're probably right, but this even strengthens the argument that Ding won't be able to hold up against Nepo if Nepo does win the candidates. It's clear the crown weighs heavily on Ding's shoulders, and there's a lot going on behind the scenes that are possibly contributing to his decline, such as pressure from the CCP ?? Maybe.

[@ohorok2]

Nakamura will never be world champion. He always FAILD very badly on candidates tournaments.

[@SurajSingh-mo7ok]

We have 3 Indians in top 5 after half of the tournament is done 💯

[@asiansamsung6953]

3 indians in top 5 😮

[@FahimHoq]

2 out of the 3 are just in their teens as well. They will only get stronger. Future of Indian Chess looking very bright.

[@med017784]

Not only the future !! IS the present already !! Mind de Woman World Championship !! ... They have a very Big brain for calculation many of great computer engeniering are from India too (ask USA that "bought" them all !! ...). Guess IS related to education and the way to be in the caotic World we live ... Or not ...

[@SunbeamSmiles]

Daniel: Plays the Najdorf. Also Daniel: there's a special place in hell for people playing little pawn moves at the edges in the opening.

[@PowerPlayChess]

LOL. Not exactly comparing like for like, but I'll own it!

[@breamoreboy]

As an absolutely crap chess player, why push your king side pawns, and then castle on the king side, why not the queen side?

[@PowerPlayChess]

In an ideal world, that would be a sound idea. The basic problem is that one has to move out the queen's knight, queen's bishop and the queen in order to castle queenside - logistically quite difficult.

[@inguh7041]

Naka really screwed it. It seems he's not destined to be WC or even at least a contender? What a waste of potential...

[@ДенисЮденков-ь5ж]

Naka has no more chance

[@rupertansell4662]

Credit to Vidit…super solid and put Nakamura to the sword. Enjoyable game

[@jeffwads]

Watching the 2 players during the analysis stage was interesting. Nakamura was blundering even during the opening on alternatives and being corrected by Vidit. He wasn't having a good day at all.

[@reybandaying8457]

Vidit slam Naka.

[@reybandaying8457]

Naka would have killed Vidit in faster time absolutely.

[@PowerPlayChess]

Do you think Naka forgot what the time control was?!

[@ChessShaastra]

Praggnanandhaa has emerged clear 3nd. Now only Ian is an obstacle for Gukesh/Praggnanandhaa.

[@michaelblankenau6598]

You mean clear third … since two players are ahead of him .

[@ДенисЮденков-ь5ж]

Naka is out

[@SREPL]

Nakamura once again shows why he’ll never be world champion

[@michaelblankenau6598]

I think a “ nakamura” is a deep see fish in Japan . But I could be wrong.

[@Calicoo-x4d]

How did he show that exactly?

[@michaelblankenau6598]

@@Calicoo-x4d By blundering like a total tyro .

[@alexandranicholle7458]

naka too old😂 must retire🎉❤

[@schmitz9a]

Do you make that comment whenever somebody loses a chess game? Or just when you feel Schadenfreude?

[@robinesperoza]

In my experience weaker players play the dog ears alot. This is often done to prevent them from having to consider moves they consider scary. On higher level the strength of opponent move (like Bg5) is first assessed, then it's considered whether preventing it is proportional and if so, whether a dog ear (like h6) is best. If I would get a euro everytime the little pawn move was played out of laziness, I would be the richest person alive.

[@PowerPlayChess]

Yes, very often those little pawn moves are played out of laziness. Nakamura had a clear idea, at least, of gaining some space.

[@robinesperoza]

@@PowerPlayChessNaka had a clear plan, he gambled and lost. It happens when you try to force a win. I think it's (the weak pawn moves out of laziness) a difficult habbit to break. What helped me is the following: I forbode myself from playing ANY in the next 50 blitz games. Beforehand I thought I would lose rating and lots of games. I was surprised this rather strict rule had no impact on my rating, despite some clear loses where the moves screamed to be played. This really thought me something. :) PS: Uhms, sorry I didn't want to sound as if I am giving you, Daniel the Great, chess advice. It's just meant as a nugget of wishdom to anybody who wishes to not end up in hell. ;)

[@Zakdayak]

Nakamura doesn't belong there.

[@LateCloser]

Nepo should have lost today; imo. Firouzja let him off the hook. He really appears to not be in form. He's botching free attacking positions now. Apparently, after the round, Alireza tweeted that he was very upset by what an arbiter did during the round. The tweet stated that when his game was heating up, the arbiter informed him to stop walking around. Claiming his shoes were making too much noise. He was also asked to wear different shoes for future rounds. Apparently, the playing hall has wooden floors?! Alireza said some of the ladies are wearing high heels and they weren't singled out... DRAMA! I believe it's really a three horse race now. Nepo has a big advantage of having white against most of his top competitors. I think he really only has black in the final round, against contenders who could get near his score. Gukesh and Pragg really look like the only two who can stop him. I'm shocked Gukesh did not win today as well. He had, what looked like to me, an incredible position against Pragg. I thought Pragg was dead out of the opening. But he got away. That's possibly two wins Gukesh has let slip away. A total of 1.5 points more he could have acquired. And just imagine the tournament if Gukesh led by 1.5! Everyone would be panicking. For now, the Americans should be panicking. Fabi looked like he had a comfortable advantage against Abasov as black and he did nothing with it. Naka imploded. Personally, I didn't like Rxc5. I think today was a turning point. Hope I'm wrong, maybe it can tighten up. The scores are close of course, but I stick with my statement. I think it's down to three contenders. The old man and the two kids. :) Thanks for the coverage!

[@manjilmanjil3003]

Gukesh is yet to play Abasov with white so I guess he have some more chances than Nepo. And if they draw with each other today Gukesh might come up as winner.

[@robinesperoza]

I heard to playing hall was very noisy, which is not ideal

[@med017784]

Well what about again a6 instead of g5 !? ... Going hell máster !? ... Hajaha...this IS so fun and Guess hell do not exist any longer !! 😂. Thanks Mr King once again so fun selection and lecture. Be well

[@Matthew-bu7fg]

Could we have an Indian teenager fighting for the title? Very exciting tournament so far!

[@yagzkaterli6363]

Im tired of vidit

[@red32_12]

why ?, he's got your number ?

[@drroadies]

@@red32_12 LOL she is namakura fan

[@red32_12]

@drroadies , I thought Vidit keeps on calling her all the time...

[@JohnSmith-gr3bb]

So is Nakamura!!

[@boogieman6529]

​@@drroadiesit's a male in the pfp 😂

[@skriabinfly]

Little pawn moves in the opening: Exactly why the Najdorf is a rotten opening!! 🤣♟️

[@davidchang9228]

Unlike h7, a7 of Najdorf Sicilian defense is solid setup and less risky because black is usually castling king side. I prefer a7 over h7 for black in most cases.